Wednesday, August 12th and August 19th, 2026

Class will meet for two sessions via Zoom on Wednesdays, 5:00 PM – 7:00 PM Eastern

Any questions about this class? Use the Chat Button to talk with us. 

The session will be recorded and available to watch after the seminar concludes.

Instructor Bio

Instructor John Sibley Williams is the author of nine poetry collections, including Scale Model of a Country at Dawn (Cider Press Review Poetry Award), The Drowning House (Elixir Press Poetry Award), As One Fire Consumes Another (Orison Poetry Prize), Skin Memory (Backwaters Prize, University of Nebraska Press), skycrape (WaterSedge Poetry Chapbook Contest), and Summon (JuxtaProse Chapbook Prize). His book Sky Burial: New & Selected Poems is forthcoming in translation from the Portuguese press do lado esquerdo. A thirty-five-time Pushcart nominee, John serves as editor of The Inflectionist Review and Poetry Editor at Kelson Books. Previous publishing credits include Best American Poetry, Yale Review, Verse Daily, North American Review, Prairie Schooner, and TriQuarterly.

Who is this class for?

This poetry writing workshop is for poets interested in exploring how animals can be used for narrative, abstract, and metaphorical purposes in their work. The course is open to all levels and welcomes writers eager to discover fresh perspectives through the non-human lens.

What to expect:

From companion animals to creatures of the wild, non-human beings offer writers a powerful way to explore complex human themes—home, love, captivity, identity, and belonging. Whether through the gaze of a tank-dwelling amphibian, the mind of a parrot, or the body of a cow, the non-human perspective provides a fresh lens through which we can examine the world.

In this online poetry workshop, you'll read works by poets spanning different literary traditions, exploring a diverse range of perspectives and approaches. You'll examine how these perspectives influence narrative strategies, atmosphere, and point of view. The course will also demonstrate how non-human perspectives can be used as a tool in your writing—depicting themes of behavior vs. instinct, the distance (or intimacy) that non-human narration allows, and how animal stories can reflect the human experience in unexpected ways.

Throughout this creative writing course, you'll engage in a variety of writing activities and have the opportunity to share your work with a small, supportive community of poets. The workshop includes a robust workbook (over 50 pages!) filled with prompts, sample poems, and inspiration for future work.

What are the writing goals?

In this course, students will draft at least two new poems while also enjoying a variety of short prompt-based exercises. Students will experiment with incorporating animal perspectives into their poetry through nearly a dozen prompts and writing activities.

Readings:

All readings are provided in the course workbook. No outside reading is required.

COURSE OUTLINE

Session 1 (Wednesday, August 12):

• Study diverse poetry that explores animals from narrative, abstract, and metaphorical perspectives
• Active discussion of sample poems from diverse contemporary poets
• Writing prompts and exercises focused on non-human perspectives
• Opportunity to experiment with different approaches to animal poetry

Session 2 (Wednesday, August 19):

• Continue exploring how to analyze animals, nature, and your experiences with them
• Additional prompts and writing activities
• Share work with the small, focused writing community
• Discussion of how to incorporate animal perspectives into both experimental and non-narrative work

COURSE TAKEAWAYS:

• Study diverse poetry that explores animals from a variety of perspectives, including narrative, abstract, and metaphorical
• Learn how to analyze animals and nature and your experiences with them to write fresh, sensory poetry
• Learn and practice how to include animals in your poetry in a way that deeply enhances both experimental and non-narrative work
• Complete at least two new poem drafts using non-human perspectives
• Access a comprehensive 50+ page workbook with prompts, exercises, and sample poems for ongoing inspiration
• Engage with a small, focused community of fellow poets in a supportive workshop environment

TESTIMONIALS:

“I feel so grateful to John for keeping his top-notch editing/critique and workshop rates quite affordable because it’s allowed me to make such remarkable improvements over just the last year. One major breakthrough I’ve made under his tutelage is to more keenly and instinctively write from the basis of image as opposed to the abstract questionings I would previously use to launch my poetic explorations. John’s feedback often includes suggestions for mini-exercises to help hone my weaker grasp on certain elements of craft, and his vast, wide-ranging knowledge of (and awe-inspiring passion for) all things poetry-related always ensured that there was never a shortage of new suggestions or approaches to try. John has that rare, all-inclusive teaching talent for being able to show not only the what and the why, but mostly importantly, the how. I can’t thank John enough for all his generosity with his skills and expertise. ” — Abigail Licad

“Over the past couple of years working together, I’ve found John Sibley Williams to be a careful reader/editor who is willing to push me out of longstanding habits. His critiques are straightforward, and his suggestions are clear and thought-provoking. John does not hesitate to push back strongly on pieces which are skeletal or merely musings without a center. That said he is also honest about his personal preferences. This provides room for my own instincts while alerting me to various untethered spots in the poems. I’m so grateful for John’s guidance which has deepened my thinking around process and craft.” — Greta Nintzel

“John is an exceptional teacher, poet, and editor. He expresses genuine interest in my poetry and progress as a poet, offering honest, insightful critiques and resources. I have taken his inspiring, generative workshops and received detailed feedback on individual poems as well as a thorough critique of a full-length manuscript. More than anything, John helps me deepen my understanding of my own aesthetic and draws out my poetic voice more fully.” — Sandra Fees

“I call John Sibley Williams trusted friend and reader now. When I shared my most recent manuscript with him, his responses were extremely thorough and sensitive. John deeply respected my poems and my intent, even when he had thoughtful and honest suggestions to offer. He was always cognizant of his approach versus my own, a rare gift.” — Amy Small-McKinney

“I have never received such detailed and genuine feedback of my poetry. Prompt in his turnaround and constructive at every level, John’s edits not only showed me a pathway out from the muddle I’d found myself in, but also key tactics to use in making myself a better poet. With a keen perception for theme and style, he understood completely the purpose and intended message of my manuscript. His feedback that was both holistic with a general overview and specific with line edits where needed. I will return to his editing services time and time again.” — Daniel Lassell

“I had an exceptionally positive experience working with John. He is a careful, thoughtful reader who can see what’s working well in a poem, and what needs a new approach. In my case, I had a few long poems that I could never seem to whip into shape. He helped me find the form that worked best for my material, and to find the sweet spot between providing enough information to a reader to follow along and maintaining the mystery in a poem that a reader wants to discover for themselves.” — Maximilian Heinegg

“Working with John Sibley Williams was a phenomenal experience that far exceeded my expectations. He provided nuanced readings of each one of my poems and attended to the larger themes in my collection. A generous editor, he saw what each poem was doing (or tried to do), then pinpointed ways to make it stronger. Through discerning and exacting feedback, he is also deeply respectful. His aesthetic range facilitates incisive feedback about how to maximize each poem’s effect on a potential reader. He also provided comments on my collection as a whole, including the sequencing of poems and the arc of the manuscript. In working with John, I learned so much about myself as a poet, and his feedback made me feel invigorated and ready to revise. Without a doubt, John is now one of my most important readers. I’ll definitely be sending him more work in the future!” — Shannon Winston

“For the price of a weekend writing workshop John provided personal feedback on my first collection of poems. He brought his experience, skill, and attention to each line. He helped me clarify what was working and what needed to be reworked, or cut, both on a particular and large scale. It was exactly what the book needed and well worth the price. His suggestions were insightful and improved the individual poems which made the whole collection feel ready! I highly recommend his editorial service to anyone who is preparing a manuscript.” — Twila Newey

“I met John at a time I was seeking to re-energize my poetry writing after a long hiatus. I started my collaboration with John by sending him 4 poems for his review—some new, some stuck in limbo for many years. I have found John’s review and commentary on my work to be very helpful, encouraging, and honest. He provides both big picture and detailed observations and, while my style is much different from his, I feel John respects and hears my voice. I look forward to continuing my work with him.” — Connie Soper

“I enjoyed the process and appreciate John’s careful eye. I really needed an objective viewpoint, which others hadn’t given me. John provided detailed responses and thorough line edits. He also has a great “bedside” manner, meaning that I asked for hard criticism and the truth and he provided those while being eager and encouraging, hard-nosed and exacting. I really appreciate this experience and want more of it.” — David Lohrey

“I worked with John Sibley Williams on two batches of poems and found his critique to be invaluable in my revision process. He is a very careful and thoughtful reader. He provided thorough and detailed responses to the poems as well as an overview response for each poem. He is able to critique work that is outside of his own aesthetic and his critique is offered in the spirit of making better poems. I highly recommend his services.” — Feral Willcox

PAYMENT OPTIONS:

• Instructor: John Sibley Williams
  
• Begins Wednesday, August 12, 2026
  
• Class will meet for 2 sessions via Zoom on Wednesdays, 5:00-7:00 PM ET (August 12 & 19)
  
• Tuition is $180 USD.